


Prayers to the Fallen.

by sonnet_18



Category: Togainu no Chi
Genre: Drama, M/M, Romance, mentions of crimes against children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-26 02:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12049419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonnet_18/pseuds/sonnet_18
Summary: Being a journalist isn't all about fun globe trekking, some days you're responsible to handle even the hard cases to write.





	Prayers to the Fallen.

Akira struggled to stay awake as the two burned the midnight oil. Beside him sat his partner who may looked like he’s fine but the younger man knew Motomi was as equally haggard as he was. Both of them were rushing to finish the long article before their flight tomorrow.

 

How the two of them work was like this; Motomi would rewrite his notes from his book to several pages of paper in draft form and Akira retype them as a full, coherent article with the computer. Initially that was Motomi’s job but as an old timer he’s not as fast with the device than Akira was.

 

After another half an hour they finally managed to finish the whole thing.

 

“Finally.” Motomi sighed as he stretched his arms above his head, “That was... so hard to write.”

 

Akira was quiet for a moment, he knew why his lover initially refused to write this as it was very sensitive to the older man.

 

Instead he tried to take the light approach and reply with a smile, “Well we can’t write just about food or else they’d think we’re just snacking and not really working seriously.”

 

Motomi sighed heavily, he smiled but it was obviously forced and glanced at his written notes. His eyes narrowed to a sharp glint and he looked as if he wanted to burn it. “I hope that bastard burned in hell.” He repeated to himself in a whisper.

 

Akira felt helpless that his attempt was useless to ease his partner. He racked his mind on what to say or do to cheer him up but Motomi instead noticed his expression and gave a sad smile.

 

“What’s with that look, Akira? I’m fine, it was nothing. Now that we’re done, you go on and rest up. I’ll clean up around here”

 

The younger man shook his head as he rubbed his eyes, “Not yet, I haven’t finish transferring the images from my camera. I’ll finish soon. You go and sleep, we have to board the plane early.”

 

“I’m used to pulling an all-nighter, I’ll be fine. Besides, our luggage hasn’t been pack yet.”

 

Motomi brushed back Akira’s bangs and smooched him on the forehead like he always did around the younger man. Akira should be used to his partner’s surprise kisses after being in a relationship for 5 years but his body still jerked in surprise and left him blushing. After Motomi padded his way to their bedroom and began packing up their clothes and belonging, Akira was left wondering about his lover. Why was Motomi so stubborn not to take a rest first? Tonight he was more insistent than usual.  Sure he loved to cuddle Akira when they sleep together but there was an air of melancholy around the journalist.

 

Mentally he shook his head and quickly finished his uploads before closing the laptop. Standing up, he began to pack up the gadgets and their documents into the briefcase. He glanced down at the scribbled map and photos that Motomi received from a detective he temporarily worked with...

 

Motomi usually covered news about their travels, meeting the locals as they shared their dying culture, tasting their traditional cuisines and so on. Wherever their next destination was, it’s all under the instruction of his boss since their agency took care of the tickets and expenses. Motomi was a fast an interesting writer that he garnered a considerable amount of fans who looked forward to his reports. Now that Akira opened their account to share the pictures in real time, the amount of followers had doubled as they love to see what new scenery that caught Motomi’s eyes next.

 

Now as a journalist, it’s not uncommon for him to write a newsletter on serious and… tragic cases. Reporting about unnatural disasters, crime cases, accidents and abuse. This week was one example. Motomi usually played along whenever he got the short end of the stick and had to cover a difficult case even for him who had nerves of steel. He’d just do his job as a professional. But it seemed like this time the case he had to write about really hit too close to home.

 

Akira sighed as he slumped on the couch to rest his eyes. Even he was disturbed by the case they handled, the images of the photos and the detailed report from the morgue made him wince to rest his mind.

 

 “Just 10 minutes…”

 

He said to himself as he laid back his head against the headrest of the chair. The last thing he thought of before he blacked out was he needed to go to Motomi’s side later. To make sure he’s not suffering alone…

 

***********

 

When he woke up, Akira was in a state of confusion. He blearily looked around and saw the digital clock digits by the television. He vaguely remembered he finished uploading around 3:30 am and now the time showed 4:45am.

 

But rather than the time, what Akira noticed first was the warmth against his body, followed by the scent of tobacco.

 

“Good morning…”

 

He jumped a bit at the bass voice and looked up to Motomi’s tired but gentle smile.

 

“You looked so cute when you drooled in your sleep.” He grinned like a Cheshire cat.

 

Akira immediately wiped the side of his mouth and that caused Motomi to laugh aloud, “I was just kidding! You didn’t drool, I wanted to tease you because you were so cute using me as your big teddy bear doll.”

 

The younger man had this major impulse to smack his lover on the head… but he stopped when he noticed Motomi looked very exhausted.

 

“Oi…”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Did you sleep?”

 

Motomi looked away and avoided eye contact, “I did… just a bit.”

 

Akira narrowed his eyes, “We still have time, you should sleep before you pass out in the airport.”

 

Motomi forced a smile, “Nah… I’m not tired.”

 

Akira frowned, he was never good in being indirect so he just hit the ball directly to get this settled.

 

 “Are you really not tired or are you unable to sleep because of the article we finished today?”

 

Motomi deliberately inhaled his cigarette as he gazed to the wall, “...Maybe.”

 

Whenever Motomi had to cover incidents about victims, especially if they were young children or women, he'd be a big mess. And during those days, being restless was just one part of it. Akira witnessed it firsthand that Motomi could lapsed into silent brooding or refuse to drink and eat other than relapsing back to his heavy smoking habits. This refusal to sleep was probably the same like how Akira couldn't ignore the bloody images from the photographs. The state of the bodies, the look of terror...

 

Akira wished he knew what to do, Motomi looked like he’s suffering but how can you eradicate the demons in your mind?

 

Reaching up, he cupped Motomi’s face in his hands and gave him a hard stare to the surprised older man.

 

“It’s over, you have done your part. You wrote the case and by tomorrow when people read the news, they are rest assured that the serial killer has been apprehended and locked behind bars. The locals don’t have to hide in their house and be scared anymore to go out.”

 

Motomi’s lips became a thin line as he still looked troubled.

 

“But… If only we worked faster with the police… if we actually interrogated the suspects harder… the last two children would have survived…”

 

Akira knew it, this case really hit Motomi hard because he himself was a father. The case was about the missing children. About 12 were found dead, buried in various parts of the forest.

 

Any parent would be horrified to find out your kidnapped child was part of a lunatic’s murderous game of tag. The killer would let one or two children to run and promised them if they manage to hide well, he’ll let them go. Of course the murderer never held his promise and shot the victims in glee during the hunt in the forest.

 

“Imagine how much they cried for their parents to save them… imagine how scared they were… one was as young as my boy…. If only….”

 

Motomi whispered in a hoarse voice as his body shook lightly.

 

Akira felt his heart squeezed tight at the sight of his usually smiling lover. He hated how he still didn’t know what comforting words he could say to ease Motomi’s anguish. So instead he gently snaked his hands around the older man’s neck and pulled him down. Akira cushioned his fall on the couch and he didn’t mind one bit of Motomi’s weight. One of his hand never stopped caressing his lover’s soft brown hair. Akira knew from experience how good it felt to be patted there so he did just that. Just like how Motomi knew how to calm his mind when he had nightmares of Keisuke.

 

“Shh…”

 

He hushed him softly and hugged his big lover warmly.

 

“Thanks to you, the police managed to rescue two of the newly kidnapped children found in his basement.”

 

“They were so traumatized, Akira… They couldn’t stop crying…”

 

Motomi rested his head on Akira’s chest and the younger man place his chin on Motomi’s head.

 

“They are back to their parents now and no one will harm them again. You helped the detectives a lot. You rescued those children…”

 

“But…”

 

“Listen, by the time your article got published this morning, and the one I posted online at the newsroom site, the locals will be so happy they won’t be scared anymore to hide their children indoors every night. With your words, people will learn of the mad hunter’s crime and he’ll be behind bars for a very long time. He’ll never hurt any child anymore.”

 

Motomi grasped Akira’s arm as he breathed heavily as if trying to hold back a strong, painful emotion.

 

“But the victims… the children that we were too late to save….”

 

Akira thought about it, he himself regretted over the loss of their lives.

 

“They will be remembered.”

 

“…remembered?”

 

“Yes, you wrote down all their names, you met their parents to record their details and helped the investigation to reunite them. You helped the grieving families a sense of closure that no more do they worry when will their child return home. Thanks to you this case didn't become a cold case file. You’re not even part of the case but you worked harder than the officers to retrace the killer’s footsteps. Now these children will never be forgotten, they are no longer being referred to as ‘child 1’ or as ‘Jack Doe’, whatever shit they named them. It’s all thanks to you…”

 

He felt Motomi’s grip tightened and his shoulders shivered to suppress a choked sob.

 

“The children are back to their family and they can finally rest in peace and not somewhere cold and dark around the forest. It’s all thanks to you.” he repeated earnestly to get the words across.

 

And finally... Motomi broke down and showed his rare, vulnerable side of him. Back then he had no one when his son then his wife passed away. Leaving him to bury his feelings and put on a fake smile like he had no care of the world. But Akira… the young man continued to hold Motomi tight. Even in this miserable and ugly side of him, Akira never let go. He was truly blessed that a tear rolled down and followed by several more. He clung to his lover in a silent cry of relief at Akira’s words that he has done his best and it’s true that the victims were now safely back to their family.

 

Back to their homes.

 

*******

 

Motomi couldn’t remember when he blacked out after weeping like a kid. He could still hear the steady heart beat under his ear and the comforting hand on his head.

 

Slowly he pulled back and saw that Akira was awake underneath him, although he had this sleepy look. He smiled a shy smile at his lover.

 

“I’m glad you finally got enough sleep.”

 

Motomi sat down and scrubbed his face, “What time is it?”

 

“4 pm.”

 

“What?! But our flight is at 11:30!”

 

Akira sat up and stretched his back, “I rescheduled our flight, don’t worry I called the airport and I used my savings. I don’t care about the plane, I needed you to sleep undisturbed for at least 5 hours after this case that took us 3 weeks.”

 

Motomi covered his face in exasperation, “You really shouldn’t have done that. That money was for your own use.”

 

Akira didn’t seem to mind, “Like I said, I don’t care how I used it. Besides, I thought you would want to attend their funeral this Sunday.”

 

Motomi had this troubled look as if he wasn’t sure how to answer.

 

“I know we’re not their relatives or anything close but I thought maybe you’d want to pay your last respects to them since you helped locate them…”

 

Akira trailed off, now he felt unsure if he was being too nosy or overstepping his boundary. He only saw Motomi's anger once but that was years ago when he blindly tried to chase after Keisuke when he himself was half dead from exhaustion and injury.

 

What about now? Would Motomi be furious for cancelling their flight and suggest they visit the mourning families…?

 

“Akira…”

 

“…Hmm?”

 

“I heard from the detective that the funeral service will be held at a church… I do want to go and pay my respects but… will you come with me?”

 

Motomi asked as he reached out to grasp Akira’s hand between them.

 

The younger man sighed a relief and gave his lover a warm smile, “Of course.”

 

“Really?...”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Finally, the dark clouds over Motomi’s head cleared away and his old, cheery side returned bit by bit. Akira really missed his old lover who was a tease and a bit carefree. Now he no longer hid his pain behind fake smiles.

 

Akira was happy to spend the rest of their days together like this, no matter the obstacles and hardships.

 

Together, forever to the grave.

 

 

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End?

 

**Author's Note:**

> My attempt at writing an angsty/serious oneshot of this two. I hope it was sufficient. Thank you for reading, next time I hope to write a more happier Motomi in my future oneshots of these couple.


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